Tudor History Courses
I am often asked whether I know of any online history courses or distance learning history courses that people can do to learn more about Tudor life and times, so I thought I’d list a few here:-
- MedievalCourses.com has a selection of medieval and Tudor online history courses including mine on “The Life of Anne Boleyn”, Gareth Russell’s on “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” and Toni Mount’s on “The English Reformation”. They are completely online and you can browse at https://medievalcourses.com/overview/
- Cambridge University Institute of Continuing Education are running an online course in 2016 on Elizabeth I called “Gloriana: the life and times of Elizabeth I, 1533-1603”. You can find out more about it and register at http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/component/courses/?view=course&cid=17512.
- Oxford University Summer School for Adults often run history courses so do check out their programme at http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/summerschools/oussa/index.php
- The Open University BA Hons in History – This is for those of you who want to do a full blown history degree, but from home. You can find out more at http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/b01.htm but the course has lots of units to choose from in each level, including a Level 2 Course entitled Exploring History: Medieval to Modern 1400-1900, http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/a200.htm. You will have to meet certain criteria to be able to take this course and it will obviously take a few years of study.
- NEW DEGREE: BACHELOR OF HISTORICAL INQUIRY & PRACTICE at the University of New England (UNE). Description: “This degree has been tailored to suit students wishing to study history at university without the added requirements of a BA (Bachelor of Arts). This course is aimed at anyone with a serious interest in history, and particularly at those who use – or wish to use – history in their career or workplace. This degree – unique to UNE – allows you the flexibility of broad study, following your interests across UNE’s areas of ancient history or history specialty. You will also be guided by specialized units aimed at developing practical and professional skills in the uses of history, and the better understanding and interpretation of the past. The course is a full 3 years of full-time study (also available on a part-time basis), with your own ‘History Project’ the focus in the final year. This enables you to tailor your work to areas of specific professional or personal interest, including (but not limited to) work on a piece of historical fiction, a multimedia or web project, a scholarly article, or a documentary.” Find out more at http://www.une.edu.au/humanities/pdf/bhist-inq-prac%20degree.pdf
- “The Tudors: History, Religion and Culture”, University of Exeter – This online history course is offered by the UK’s University of Exeter and seems to be offered on a termly basis (3 times a year). It is a 12 week course and takes around 5-8 hours of study a week. You do not need any academic qualifications or experience for this course but it also does not offer any type of qualification at the end of it.
Other interesting history courses offered by the University of Exeter include “1550-1750 Early Modern Britain: Country, Colonies and Culture”, “1550-1750 Early Modern Britain: Plagues, Persecutions and Populations” and The Stuart Court: History, Politics and Culture . 
The Age of Henry VIII – A course consisting of 24 lectures of 30 minutes which can be purchased on DVD, CD or downloaded straight to your computer. The course is taught by Dale Hoak from the College of William and Mary, and includes lectures on the War of the Roses, King and Cardinal, Anne Boleyn and the King’s Great Matter Thomas More, Queen Anne Boleyn, Politics, Sex and Religion, a Renaissance Court and lectures on the other wives.- History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts – A course consisting of 48 lectures of 30 minutes which can be purchased on DVD, CD or downloaded straight to your computer. The course is taught by Robert Bucholz from Loyola University Chicago and includes lectures on The Land and Its People 1485 onwards, the Medieval prelude 1377-1455, Establishing the Tudor Dynasty, Young King Hal, The King’s Great Matter, the Break from Rome, Edward VI, Mary I, Elizabeth I – various lectures, Private Life – Commoners, Establishing the Stuart Dynasty, the Civil Wars etc.
Other courses of interest offered by the Teaching Company include “Renaissance, the Reformation and the Rise of Nations”, “Luther: Gospel, Law and Reformation”, “Foundations of Western Civilization” and “Terror of History: Mystics, Heretics and Witches in the Western Tradition”.
Those courses will exercise “ze leetle grey cells”, as my favourite detective Hercule Poirot says! Let me know if you know of a good course and I’ll add it to the list.
Also, check out your local college or university as they may well do nightclasses, part-time courses or degree courses on Tudor history.
